Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Offering a transformative education open to all backgrounds, MCAD gets you ready to confidently lead and practice in an ever-evolving world. It’s where students find their personal and professional purpose as creative, cultural leaders.

Founded in 1886, MCAD is recognized nationally and internationally for its innovative approaches to art and design education. MCAD is located in the heart of the rich art and design community of the Twin Cities and is home to more than 800 students. A four-year, nonprofit, private college with the highest level of accreditation for a school of its kind, MCAD offers bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and continuing education classes for all ages in areas including arts entrepreneurship, design, fine arts, and media arts. 

Vision

MCAD emboldens creative leaders to collaboratively transform society through equity, empathy, and imagination.

Mission

MCAD provides a transformative education within a community of support for creative students of all backgrounds to work, collaborate, and lead with confidence in a dynamic, interconnected world.  

MCAD students become:

• Accomplished makers and scholars
• Equity-minded problem solvers 
• Critical, conceptual thinkers
• Inclusive, collaborative partners
• Empathic listeners
• Creative storytellers
• Engaged citizens within a global context

Values

• Transformational Ideas and Actions that emerge from the intersection of creativity, culture, and equity.
• Collaborative Community that supports both independent achievements and collective successes.
• Empathetic Leadership that integrates humility, inclusivity, curiosity, and foresight to fuel change. 
• Multifaceted and Complex Identities that embody diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. 
• Experiential Learning that embraces generative processes, critical discourse, and an iterative methodology to achieve academic, institutional, and individual excellence.

Equity and Inclusion

MCAD strives to be a community of equal opportunities and inclusivity. You are welcomed into the MCAD community as an individual, regardless of your race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, ability, or marital status.